The overall intention of this REU Site program is to make it a "graduate school" experience. The same
hands-on training procedures will be used that have been developed for the graduate students. Individual students
or interdisciplinary undergraduate student teams will each be given a well defined, independent research project,
not heavily dependent upon the work of others. Each project will be designed to make a meaningful contribution
to research program of the sponsoring research group(s).

The Nanophotonics REU Site program is housed in the Center for High Technology Materials (CHTM) at the University
of New Mexico (UNM). CHTM is an interdisciplinary research organization with faculty and students representing
the departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Physics and Astronomy, Chemistry, Chemical and Nuclear
Engineering, and interdisciplinary graduate programs in Optical Science and Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering,
Nanoscience and Microsystems, and Biomedical Engineering. CHTM was created in1983 by the state of New Mexico as
one of the five centers of technical excellence under the Rio Grande Research Corridor initiative. Its mission
is to encourage and strengthen interactions between the University, government laboratories, and private industry,
and to promote and assist economic development within New Mexico.

Since then, CHTM has grown to achieve the status of an internationally respected research and development institution
with major programs in optoelectronics, optics, and materials science. At present 23 regular and research faculty,
approximately 60 graduate students, approximately 20 undergraduate students, and 27 staff (20 technical and 7 administrative)
are associated with the Center. Nanophotonics represents the major area of Center activities, and is a very attractive
theme that encompasses multiple disciplines and can accommodate a wide variety of individual backgrounds and interest
of the REU students. CHTM faculty have a strong record of accomplishments in the area of nanophotonics, and the
Center has all the facilities necessary to carry out the REU Site program.